Stars
by Muntin
Summary: I always imagined that I would die in a chair by a fire, old and withered. Being a shinobi, I should have expected that wouldn't be the way I would go. I didn't imagine that I would die the most normal death on the battlefield. I may or may have been right...


Death is a strange concept isn't it. One second you are alive the next you are nothing. A tiny dot in the middle of many. For a shinobi death is usually far from being natural. From being stabbed to impaled there are so many ways to go. You know, for the picky.

So how did I imagine I would die? It was stupid of me but I always liked to imagine that I would die in my sleep after reading a book with a fire roaring in the background. My wife would find me and I would have a small funeral. Nothing big- just a few friends and family. A few years after me my wife would go. Our children would bury us and we would have grave next to one another.

So how is it I am here, lying on the dusty ground with a battle raging around me? My hair is wet with blood and I can feel it pooling beneath my skull. I am not the only one dying- far from it in fact. There are so many lying there with wide empty eyes and others with hopelessness filling their gaze. I am not hopeless. Being alive during a war is troublesome. It was a countdown really. To see who would die first. At least I don't have to hear the new that one of my teammates has died. I hum slightly, the noise barely hearable above the loud sounds of metal on metal.

"Shikamaru!" I hear a loud shriek behind be followed by loud steps. I could have groaned. Damnit this was going to be how I spent my last moments? A blurry face appeared in front of mine.

"Temari?" I whispered, confused. How was she here? And how did she find me? She pressed a small trembling figure to my lips, her fan forgotten by her side.

"Don't speak Shika. You need to keep your energy. You're going to make it to tomorrow." I chuckle slightly as she says those words. It's a soulless chuckle not one full of joy. I shake my head slightly ignoring the sharp sting of pain.

"Don't be troublesome Temari." I rasp. "You are a smart lady so don't try and kid yourself into believing that I will survive until tomorrow." The look of panic on her face makes me wince. I can see tears roll down her cheeks. I watch as they land on the dry ground fulling the cracks with water.

Slowly I reach up a tremebling hand and pull her down beside me. Around us I can hear a battle raging but I don't focus on the war instead I grab Temari's hand and gesture upwards.

"The stars are very bright tonight." I say casually, as if I am not bleeding out. I can feel Temari staring at me so I squeeze her hand and flick my eyes towards her.

Her eyes are wide and her mouth slightly open. A dry chuckle escapes her throat.

"Only you would say something like that in the middle of a battle…" She mutters. She turns her eyes to the sky. "But you are right they are bright. Some would say too bright. Especially for a night like tonight." I clench her hand and for a moment I forget where we are. I forget that I am dying and that my comrades are falling beside me. I watch as the stars twinkle above us. They look like small diamonds, lighting up the small sky. The sky is a tapestry filling the night with grandeur that no-one could change not even the strongest shinobi. But I guess some things should stay the same.

The moment is broken too soon when my body shudders involuntarily. All of a sudden, my body feels cold and I can't help the panic that rises inside of me.

Us shinobi are taught not fear death but theory and reality are two different things.

It seems like I'm not the only one broken out of my stupor as Temari is on her knees hands hovering over my chest. Her hands are shaking and I can see the hopelessness in her eyes. There are tears running down both of her cheeks and her blond hair is darkened by dirt from the ground.

"Stay still Shika I'll find Sakura and she'll help you a-and you can die of old age in a chair b-by the f-f-" Temari breaks down into tears and her head falls onto my chest. I can quickly feel her warm tears sinking into my cold body as I lift my hand to her hair. I begin stroking my fingers to her tangled locks.

"I-it's okay Temari…" I say my voice barely above a rasp. My words seem to ignite something inside Temari as she leans over my head until our noses are nearly touching. Her eyes are full of fire and anger.

"But it's not okay Shika!" She screams. "It may be okay for you b-but I don't want to lose another person. And i-it's t-to soon. You're too young to die!" I can see her breaking down and I stay quiet letting her take out her anger on me. "Don't you understand Shika?! I LOVE YOU!" She collapses exhausted after her words. I stare at her lying next to me and reach my hand over gently stroking her cheek.

"I love you too Temari." I whisper. She half-heartedly tried to glare at me.

"What good will that do? Soon you will be- "I cut her off my slamming my lips into hers. At first, she tenses but then she relaxes into it, wrapping her arms around me. Gently I pull away and stare at her.

"I _love_ you Temari." I croak. Her lips tremble and then tightens her grip on me until I can hardly breath.

"I'll miss you s-so much Shika!" She cries and buries her head deeper into my shoulder.

"None of that." I mutter softly "We will meet again." I say firmly. She takes her head off my shoulder and stares me in the eye. She smiles sadly. I find her hand and turn my head back to the stars.

Together we drown out the sounds of battle and I spend my last moments with her gripping onto my hand as we stare at the stars.

It might not be the way I envisioned that I was going to die but, while not the best, it is certainly a better death than many.

 **[A/N]**

 **Hey it's the author here. (Oh no really?)**

 **So um happy romance? Yey…**

 **This is my first romance so if you have any advice please tell me**

 **I hope you enjoyed it. I didn't plan this story it just sorta happened…**


End file.
